forth

forth — adverb

1. moving away from a starting point, either in space (out of a place) or in time (

1.adverbB2
Definition

moving away from a starting point, either in space (out of a place) or in time (onward from a given moment); also used to describe something that is produced, revealed, or made known.

Example

The knight rode forth into the dark forest at dawn.

spatial meaning: ride forth = ride out/away

From that day forth, Charlotte never touched another cigarette.

temporal: from [time] forth = beginning then and continuing

Common collocations
  • set forth
  • bring forth
  • come forth
  • go forth
  • burst forth
  • venture forth
  • put forth
  • from that day forth
  • from this point forth
  • and so forth
Synonyms
  • forward

    everyday word for direction ahead; 'forth' is more literary

  • outward

    emphasises movement away from an interior, while 'forth' can also imply temporal progression

  • onward

    similar temporal sense but less dramatic; 'forth' has a more poetic register

Antonyms
  • back

    opposite direction in both spatial and temporal senses

Grammar Patterns

verb + forth

forth from + noun phrase

from + time + forth

Usage Note

Commonly paired with verbs of motion or revelation: set forth (present / begin a journey), bring forth (produce / give birth to), come forth (emerge), go forth (leave / proceed), and burst forth (suddenly appear). The multi-word expressions 'and so forth' (meaning 'and other similar things') and 'back and forth' (meaning 'first one way then the other') are fixed phrases; learners should memorise them as single units rather than trying to analyse 'forth' separately.

Common Mistakes

We walked forth to the store.
We walked forward to the store.
Use 'forward' for everyday movement; 'forth' is literary or formal.
She went forth on her new career.
She went forth to start her new career.
'Go forth' implies a literal or metaphorical departure, not merely beginning something.
Idioms

and so forth

idiom

Used to indicate that other similar things are included without listing them all.

The store sells pens, notebooks, and so forth.

We talked about movies, music, and so forth.

back and forth

idiom

Moving in one direction and then the opposite direction repeatedly.

The children swung back and forth on the playground.

Did you see the cat pacing back and forth by the door?

from that day/time forth

idiom

Starting at a specific moment in the past and continuing into the future.

From that day forth, Maya never missed a single practice.

From that time forth, the village prospered.

forth — preposition

forth — idiom

Word family

  • forthcoming
    adjectiveB2
  • forthright
    adjectiveC1
  • henceforth
    adverbC1
  • forthwith
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

'Forth', 'forward', 'onward', and 'outward' all describe movement away from a point but differ in register and scope. 'Forward' is the everyday word for movement in the expected direction (e.g., 'take a step forward') and is the safest choice in spoken English. 'Onward' stresses continuation along a path or timeline ('the journey continued onward'), often implying some difficulty or persistence. 'Outward' focuses on movement from an interior to an exterior ('the door opens outward'), while 'forth' combines spatial emergence with a literary or formal tone. For example: 'The children stepped forward when their names were called' (neutral) vs. 'The messenger stepped forth from the crowd' (dramatic). Learners should use 'forward' in daily speech and reserve 'forth' for fixed expressions ('set forth', 'bring forth') and formal writing.

forth ↗forward ↗onward ↗outward ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • straight forth
  • directly forth

Phrases

Prepositions

  • forth from
  • forth into

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishEnglish

'Forth' comes from Old English 'forþ' meaning 'forward, onward, out.' It traces back to Proto-Germanic '*furþa' (forward) and ultimately Proto-Indo-European '*pr-to-', from the root '*per-' (forward, through). The same root gives us 'for,' 'fore,' 'first,' and 'far' in English, as well as German 'fort' (away, gone) and Latin 'por-' (forward).